Summary Of The Circle By Dave Eggers

In The Circle by Dave Eggers, it is shown in the beginning that working at The Circle is a dream come true. It is an innovative company that produces new and improving technology. The company improves the daily lives of people with the new technology they create. They believe in “transparency”, meaning everything should be known and nothing should be kept hidden. Everyone at work is required to participate in the company’s social media and social events, so that employees within the company are able to get along and connect with each other on common interests. As we read further into the story, we see The Circle isn’t the perfect place to work at. What Dave Eggers has written seems like a possible utopian society, but what he is actually trying
It involves reprogramming the mind of the employee to remove any sense of individual identity and values. (Pearson). The Circle brainwashes their employees to think how the company wants them to think by putting of slogans around the company that says “Participate”, “Dream”, “Innovate”, and much more. (2, Eggers). Throughout the book, it showed that Mae was being brainwashed from the company, and changed her beliefs to fit in at The Circle. Before she worked at The Circle, she followed her parents values and liked being at home most of the time. “She’d never been one to ask for something like that… It was a kind of neediness, pushiness, her dad called it, something not bred into her.”(11, Eggers). She had a close bond with them and acted like her parents would act. Though, as she works longer at The Circle, she starts to become more like them. When she becomes transparent and is on camera, she is a totally different person. Her parents can see that she changed when she visits them. “You’re sure affectionate tonight, Mae!” (365, Eggers). This indicates that she changes her behavior and attitude due to being on camera. Not only that, her parents tell Mae that being part of her transparent life has been stressful on them. As her mom said “Think of it: sixteen hours just for some basic response to messages! Oh jeez, now I sound ungrateful.”, Mae agreed that her mom and dad sounded ungrateful. Instead of Mae being sympathetic and
It seems standard to follow the rules of a company, but what the rules and requirements at The Circle are out of the ordinary. The company requires an insane amount of participation, meaning the employees are forced to participate by socializing at company social events, or on the company’s social media. The same example can be taken from before when Mae was being shamed by Dan for not attending social events, even though she had a reason of why she couldn’t go. Dan talked to Mae about her participation ranked adding up and assumed the company was “driving her away.” (177, Eggers). Dan also questioned Mae on her visit to the Circus when she didn’t post any pictures or any notices. “No photos, no zings, no reviews, notices, bumps. Why not?” (179, Eggers). This can determine the overemphasis on participation at The Circle. Even though Mae is doing her job well and has reasons for her absence at a couple events, her work still requires her to be as social as possible. Posting online or socializing doesn’t seem important outside of work, but it is required at The Circle. It shows how much the company wants to know about you and wants your home life to be at